Blizzards move to the top of the table (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Blizzards move to the top of the table

12:00pm Sunday 10th February 2013 in Sport

BASINGSTOKE Blizzards basketball team went top of the Wessex League Division Two after two wins in the space of five days.

They beat visiting Slough Scorpions 79-46 on Tuesday night, having won 55-44 in Reading against Craftsmen Lithuania United.

Having struggled in Slough three weeks ago with a weakened team, this time the Blizzards fielded a strong side and by the first buzzer they had built up a 20-7 lead, which included two three pointers from Joey Haynes and Rob Gerrard.

Rob Bloomer made a real difference in the paint and Apolo Buen collected two tremendous assists and also scored his own basket with a steal. By half-time the home side led 38-13.

In the second-half Tom Mavronicholas showed good pace with some fast breaks as the third session ended 62-34. Then, in the last quarter, Andy ‘Stretch’ Richardson hit a three-pointer to complete the 79-46 victory.

In the Blizzards’ game against Craftsman, the visitors scored first, but then struggled, trailing 16-4 after five minutes, which became 19-10 by the end of the first quarter.

Bloomer and Gerrard were awarded free throws, which helped the Blizzards to continue to close the gap, while tight defence from Haynes and Adam Paddon saw the visitors trail by just two points at half-time.

After the break, Haynes, with consecutive three pointers, tied the score at 34-34.

The return of Gavin Frecklington on the court saw the Blizzards then take the lead 40-37, but, by the end of the quarter, they had slipped a point behind.

Just a minute into the final quarter, Gerrard was called for his fourth foul and was benched, but the Blizzards retook the lead 46-45 as Aaron Taylorson and Frecklington made tremendous assists.

Frecklington started to control the play and draw fouls, while Bloomer and Taylorson made the rebounds as the Blizzards inched further ahead to 54-48.

With a minute on the clock, Gerrard returned as Taylorson was called for a fifth and final foul and Basingstoke held on for a 55-49 win.

The Blizzards’ next game in their promotion push is away to mid-table Woking on Sunday February 17.